Time Raider
by amazonfire
Summary: Time flies when your having fun but when time gets ripped life gets a little strange for Xena and Gabrielle as the past, present and future threaten to upset the balance of all things.
1. Chapter 1

Time Raider

I dont own anything of Xena MCA or Universal. Jan Falconor is all mine and a few other names who people this story.

Although this begins a few weeks after the events of ' When Darkness Falls.' it has no connection.

1

The small group of people waiting in the temple were there to see the shaman. The head man Deimos looked to his neighbours they all looked pretty much the same nervous at coming here but as their spokesman he had to put a calmer face on it. They were desperate, you didn't ask a shaman for help without good reason and they had reasons enough. The man wearing a crown of oak leaf and a long robe with a tree design on the back and strange creatures and symbols of horn and beads sewn in made him look as though he was a part of and also coming out of the tree. He padded toward them and looked at the group standing there he looked tired as he stared into each of their faces as if looking for something in their eyes as the headman stepped forward and began." Theron you know what's happening the Demon's attacking at will some of us have been killed already. We can't stop her we need something , anything to fight her with. We need a hero or she'll pick us off one by one." Deimos said his hands twiddled with the end of his coat and he looked to his friends again. The others nodded in agreement to the old shaman but Theron shook his head." You don't need my help for that send a message to the kings I'm sure one of them will send you troops." he shrugged as if he couldn't be bothered with this." All our messengers have been killed we are trapped, we need your magic to get us a hero here now before it's too late." Leia said stepping forward giving the old man a less than deferential look at his lack of interest." You have no idea what you ask for. It was magic that brought the demon here in the first place, another spell could have terrible concequences, for everyone." Deimos realised Theron was as frightened as the rest of them. " We're suffering the consequenses now. Please Theron we can't do this on our own we need help now." Deimos said. The shaman shook his head." No no don't ask me I can't, I dare not." then he turned and hurried out of the room. They had banked on his help and he had refused.

The group turned and filed out of the entrance, This was the last thing they expected to happen. They were just farmers and didn't know how to fight the being they faced and Theron had been their last resort now they felt they were abandoned." Well that had been a total waste of time I told you it woudn't work, we should have gone to Ares. He would have done something." Apollodorus grumbled loudly." Yeah get us in deeper trouble." Bricus mumbled and the bigger man scowled at him and Bricus scuttered out of his way and put himself behind the others. " Ahem, maybe I can be of assistance." A voice said from behind them and they turned to see Micah, Theron's apprentice steepling his fingers as if a healer diagnosing a sick patient. The priest's accolite was dressed in a plain homespun robe and even though he was years younger and a head shorter than most of men there it was plain he was looking down on them. " I doubt you could do much better if he can't do anything." Apollodorus said glowering at Micah who he thorght was a mouthy little bighead for an apprentice boy to the holy man." Oh you'd be surprised in what I know and can do." Micha smiled arrogantly at him and then turned to Deimos." Theron is weak and too afraid to help you but I will, I can give you what you want. It'll cost though. " He had listened in or had already known about it and Deimos looked at him and wondered if what he said was possible after all." You can do this?" " He knows nothing Deimos don't listen to him." Apollodorus said." I know more than you, you overgrown oaf." Micha retorted and the bigger man took a swing to cuff him. The younger ducked out of range laughing at him and ran for the door." Think about it." he called then he was gone the door clicking shut behind him. The temple guards sprang to bar the door from big man or he would have given chase and the others held on to him and hustle him away from the door." Your not going to listen to that pompous little squirt are you?" Apollodorus hissed at the headman. " Have you or anyone else got any better ideas as I'd sure like to hear them right now." Deimos said looking at them all. Nobody said anything.

Apollodorus shrugged off the men holding him and strode off to the tavern and Deimos hoped that boy stayed out of his way for the next day or two. Micha was right he is a big oaf and when he's drunk he's downright mean and a bully to boot from the gossip he'd been hearing lately about him, but It was foolish of the accolite to insult him like that. The rest of the group had all left quickly too, nobody liked being out alone these days and specially at night. Leia had stayed though and she smiled at him and said." It was worth the try Deimos." He had wanted to talk it out with them all about considering Micha's offer but once outside in the street they had rushed off and Deimos hadn't been able to sound the council out. He and Leia were not slow either as they kept looking about them nervously as they walked quickly. She was out there somewhere, malevolent and dangerous and the last thing they wanted to do was be caught by her. They got to the door of the woman's little house and for a moment they stood in it's shadow and looked at each other. She couldn't ask him in, convention excluded her from such action but they both wanted to talk so they stood in the doorway breaking no community rules. " Well what do you think?" Leia asked in a whisper and Deimos was intoxicated by her perfume and had to drag his thorghts back to the present. He was glad she was there on the council she was smart and he'd learned to trust her judgement over many issues in the two years she had been a council member. She was most often the voice of calm and reason in the meetings and even she had been willing to clutch at the last straw of going to Theron. He was also in love with her but he had never said so. There were more serious things to be thinking of before he dared to speak words of love, one being their class. He was of one of the leading families in the region and Leia although she had been elavated above her station by his allowing the plebs a vote was still a bastard daughter of a washer woman and not his equal in society." Like I said we're short of ideas and we need help now not tomorrow If he can do it isn't it worth takeing the chance? " he said and Leia broke in." Micha didn't say what he wanted and Theron said it's dangerous to do any more. I dont know that we should Deimos." " He said a lot of things none of it helpful to us. Fight ourselves! you know what that will mean. There wont be anyone left alive to dig our graves for us. As I see it we don't have a choice." He looked down at the young woman suddenly giving way to his fears. Leia gave his arm a squeese." Be careful Deimos." she said.

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2013 In a suburb of London.

Jan rolled over in bed and sleepily opened one eye and tried to decypher what the clock said. It was 10 to 2 and she knew if she relaxed thinking she could lay there for the next ten she'd be asleep again in no time and then find herself with the rest of the day wasted and running late and her feeling miffed off. She got out of bed and went to the loo, checked in the mirror if she still there, looking no more at herself than that really. She wasn't bad looking or anything it was just she didn't bother that much about it. Short straight fair hair framed a slightly long face, blue eyes and full lips, yes all there then she padded to the kitchen area of the flatlet and grabbed the milk bottle from the fridge and the box of cereal. She looked out the window at the street two floors below. For two days the weather had been abnormally hot and the afternoon sun was beating down and everyone out there was in tee's and shorts and summer dresses and the like enjoying the last blast of summer. As she ate watching the usual tv news roundup with all the usual tv news horrors she thorght to take a run around the park and then saw she really ought to clear up the flat first, a job she had put off and the place sadly needed the attention now. The good weather would just have to wait until the jobs were dealt with she told herself and she flung open the window to get the most she was going to get it and felt it on the hot breath of air dampening her spirits in an instant. A storm was coming. She could always feel them, sometimes days ahead and it never failed to make her bad tempered and uncomfortable until the storm broke or was blown clear and she could only hope it would do one or the other soon, prefrably before she went to work. Realising she needed the workout Jan dressed and went for a run. She'd blitz the flat later. She ran a circuit round the park as warm up went into a few stretches through to the punching and kicking routines of karate and kung fu. It was too hot and sticky for a full workout and she was aware of being watched by the dog walkers and mothers of small chidren but she was left alone and continued to practise until she felt she had done enough and then Jan trotted home to complete the warm down.

Getting back to the flat Jan crept under the her landlady's window remembering she hadn't got the rent money for her. She liked the old woman even though she was a bit of a fluff ball and didn't know when to stop talking. The door opened and the little blue rinsed curls topping the round wrinkled face poked round the door." Hello dear I thorght I saw you going out." Jan quickly said." I am sorry Mrs Weston I havn't been to the bank yet but I will get your rent tonight on my way to work I promise." Oh I wasn't asking about that dear look I've a little party coming up, my anniversary. I only wish my poor Bert could have have been here for it you know but I still have the party in rememberance 40 years we were married you know, anyway it's next Saterday and your invited to come along. There will be a few of us, friends of Bert of course and." Jan stopped her there before she trammeled on." Thanks Mrs W if I can I would love to come along. Shift work you know how it is." she lied gently." Look I've got to get off I've a mountain of things to do." She did clean up the flat then catching up with all the jobs that made life bareable. Boring but nessesary. Gods teeth three hours had gone by where the hell does all the time go? she thorght as she looked at the clock. It was nice of the old woman to invite her she thorght but she wasnt sure she could put up with the 'Bert' chatter all night. The rest of the day wore on and eventually as much as it did every day, she watched the tv mostly out of boredom and waited for the time to get ready for work. Going through the motions, same ol, same ol. Bored, bored, bored.

Actually Jan didn't mind having to wear a uniform as it saved her own clothes from being ruined. There was a kudos about it too, people treated her differently, she had an offical role to play albeit a small one and because she worked nights she lived opposite to the rest of the world, working when the rest slept, sleeping when the rest were awake. She was a member of a unique sort of family which after nearly twenty years in the buisness she had come to love in an odd sort of way and she'd long realised it was the closest thing to a family Jan had. She put on her leathers and high viz and boots picked up her helmet and bag, switched everything off and locked up the flat. Luckily passing her landlady's door without getting caught by the old woman Jan went round to the parking area. She put the ignition key in and gunned the Suzuki into life then strapped the bag down and settled onto the seat then she joined the traffic flow and half an hour later Jan arrived at the sorting office carpark drove in and parked up . She took off her helmet and dismouted and grabbed her bag. She knew the cameras were on her and they would be for next eight and a half hours she was used to it, it went with the job. She walked to the door and was let in by her security tag." Hi Jan." Peter said in passing." Hi Pete mate how's it been?" Pete gave her smile." Orrible." he called out as she walked on. Jan smiled and then thorght I really ought to get a life she thorght. For most of the night she was busy on her feet, collecting the bags running them in the tangos from the loading bay, tipping the bags out, sorting the bundles of letters she had a good team working with her and sent them on to the next part of the process. After her food break the last third of the night was sitting at a sorting frame with one other woman at the most boring end of the sorting spectrum. A large buisness address with it's various outlets. Sometimes she and Grace kept each other from falling asleep as they worked through the growing mountain of mail but more often Jan knew she could do it in her sleep. Like an automaton she could sort it and still be be in another dream world. A thousands years and thousands of miles she called it. Rideing a white horse, She was a hero, a great warrior roaming the land fighting the bad and righting wrongs living a life of romance and adventure far from the life she really lived. Most nights the office cleared the work on time sometimes it didn't work out that way but always by the end of the shift Jan went home tired and ready for her bed.

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Deimos did think about it and against all the warnings against he came up with he sorght the apprentice again and finding him alone behind the temple where he lived. Micha looked at him and a sly smile played about his lips when he entered the makeshift hut." Well what is it to be?" Deimos sighed." Ok do it, get us somebody. I don't care who." Micha wagged a finger." Hold on there, My payment. You do what I want first my friend then you get what you want. Agreed?" The way he spoke rankled the head man. Deimos hated this it was like blackmail Micha wouldn't say what that was until he did agree but he knew it was this or nothing else. Deimos nodded and shuddered as the smile on Micha's face widened." Good thats settled. Tomorrow midnight at the fairy ring. We do it then. But what I want must be done before the cock crows. "

Reading the signs in the entrails of the dog he had sacrificed Theron was busy trying to decypher the story it told. It was all very confusing the rift he had seen had been the gateway for the demon and it was widening, the unseen enemy would do more damage and a warrior was going to come. He feared being overheard because he was also knew there was a traitor amongst them and the enemy was close at hand and he had to be careful because he was going to be needed if he was to survive this. But the outcome was far from certain that part of the story was hidden from him and he didn't know how it would end. It was all in motion and he couldn't stop it. Suddenly the door opened and two temple guards marched in and took hold of him by the arms ignoring his protests as he was led out of the chamber. A moment later Micha strolled in and looked at the entrails sweeping them up in his hands he threw them on the fire and he watched them burn annoyed that he couldn't read them. But nobody else could now, what did it matter the old man couldn't tell anyone now that he had him. The silly old duffer couldn't stop him and he could proceed with the plan." The robe and crown, bring them to me." he said to the sargent at arms waiting at the doorway and the man nodded and Micha smiled as he heard his footfalls going down the corridor. It had been a stroke of luck the villagers coming like that and Deimos had played his part well, telling the sargent Theron was a traitor and working for the demon and they were to follow his instructions from now on. All he needed now was the warrior woman. It wasn't for the townsfolk, it was for her only _she_ wanted one in particular.

Deimos had run back to his home not wanting to be seen and then some time later he heard the cock crow. Dawn was breaking and then Bricus came with disturbing news, another body had been found. As headman he had to oversee suspicious deaths and he went to see the body with a heavy heart fearing he was responsible for it by what he had done. The dead man turned out to be Apollodorus. The tavern maid had heard a noise and she had found him lying in the mud behind the tavern with a gapeing black burning hole in his chest. There was no sign of a fight, no other boot prints other than the victim's. Deimos noticed, Just like the others no human could have done this Deimos surmised this was the Demon's work again, anyone else Apollodorus would have made a fight of it, but not against her what ever she was. After making the nessesary arrangements Deimos left the group to carry away the body and walked back to his home. He had lost the best man he had and the worst he had in one go. Apollodorus could at least fight, he had known what to do, not that it had done him much good. Deimos was glad it wasn't who he thorght it was going to be and then he saw Leia running toward him." Deimos I just heard about Apollodorus is it true? and we have another problem. Theron has dissapeared and I've just seen Micha wearing the robe of head priest as though he owns it. Deimos was that it, was that his price? " Deimos didn't make any comment and Leia stared at him." It was, you knew." Deimos stopped her." Hush, it's only a tempory thing, Micha assured me of Theron's return once he's completed the spell. He just needs the robes." Leia looked at him sadly thinking he had made a terrible mistake and she suddenly felt very scared for him." And you believe him! He wont give that up and what's he done with Theron are you sure he's safe? Deimos?" He couldn't answer that for sure and Leia sighed knowing he was only trying to do his best." He's used you Deimos." she said sadly Deimos looked into her sad eyes brimming with tears. He suddenly wanted to hold her, comfort her, tell her it was ok and he loved her and everything would be alright." but he just said." I had to take that chance for us for everything and I will just have to live with this whichever way it goes." and Leia shook her head sadly.

I welcome any feedback D ;).


	2. Chapter 2

2

Cyrene was counting up the previous days takings the little pile of coins on the table showed there wasn't much. Although things were improving the recent bad weather over summer had done much to hurt business and the situation was still far from good. She was suffering like everyone else from a serious cash flow crisis and the farmers were looking to a poor harvest. It was going to be a bad winter if things didn't pick up soon and roaming bands had already been seen on the roads. That was a bad sign, the poor and the dissafected taking to the road joined by disbanded soldiers swelling the numbers made for a volotile mix in the stormy heat of autumn. They were the bane of small villages and hamlets where they were an easy target for thievery and murder and they suffered the brunt of such attacks while larger towns were avoided. Trouble went hand in hand with bad times and the smell of burning carried on the wind and everyone knew it wasn't always the field stalks on fire. " Ahem." Cyrene looked up to see two very travel stained women standing before her." Xena Gabrielle what brings you here?" she rose the scattering the coins in her haste and she hugged them affectionately." It's good to see you too mum." Xena said grinning." Actually we came looking for a room and rest for a week of two, we would have got here sooner but Gabrielle doesn't like sea travel." she put down a gold nugget the size of a large walnut on the table beside the coins." I'm paying." she added. Cyrene stared at it suspiciously." Hey I earned that honestly." Xena said looking hurt." It's true she did. A gift from a grateful king." Gabrielle confirmed tiredly and Cyrene visably eased. She couldn't help it, her daughter's past brought uneasy thorghts sometimes." It's big enough for a month." she said to ease the growing tension." Alright a month it is." Xena said with feigned jovially she didnt believe that was the reason for her mother's reaction but she wasn't going to push it. Cyrene poured drinks for them and Xena saw a young woman working in the kitchen." Who's that?" Xena asked." That is Ella, the maid and she doesn't go breaking my dishes." Cyrene said a little dig at Xena for the rough treatment she had given her crockery and she went to the kitchen to get them some food." You we're the maid? " Gabrielle smirkedand Xena looked at her." Not for long I hated it." Xena hissed." I just bet you did." Gabrielle mused.

The brewing storm was moving closer and it was making the air uncomfortably hot. Xena and Gabrielle ate slowly savoring every mouthfull of the home cooked meal Cyrene had put before them while she was upstairs preparing their room." At least we shall have a roof over our heads when the storm hits." Xena said taking a couple of mouthfulls of wine between words and thorght of how easy she fell into the old tensions with her mother again. Gabrielle groaned." Thank the gods I'm fed up with being rained on." Xena snorted." The gods have nothing to do with it, they cause more problems than they help with. You saw the damage they caused with their stupid war." Gabrielle sighed." I know I know it was just a figure of speach." Xena looked grumpily at her." Well choose another." Gabrielle nodded." Yes Mam." she saluted and Xena winced remembering why they had come." Do you still want to?, you know where here now you know." she asked and the bard looked and then she blushed a deep red. Xena loved when she did that. Blushing was so sweet but her question had a more serious point to it. She really had hurt the girl's feelings and Gabrielle had rightly demanded a payback and now it was time for her to pay." No Xena I've had time to think about it and I don't want to punish you." Gabrielle said. " What's this you wamt to punish her?" Cyrene said coming back into the room and giving Xena that look saying they would have to explain and Xena grimaced. Great timing mother she thorght, there was no way out of it now." No I don't." Gabrielle said." I hurt Gabrielle a little while ago." Xena said flatly and Gabrielle scowled at her." What did you do?" Cyrene sighed with that dissapointed look she always gave her whenever Xena had done wrong." You should know by now you don't hurt your friends, Xena you ought to be spanked." Gabrielle choaked on her cider and Xena squirmed on her seat feeling like a naughty kid again." Mother." she groaned and Cyrene turned to the bard." You can borrow my paddle if you like and after you can kiss and make up." Xena and Gabrielle stared at her in open mouthed surprise." Oh come on you thorght I didn't know, the way you two look at each other." the older woman said." Is there a problem with that?" Xena said Cyrene smiled." No dear your in love and it's the best I could ever have wished for but that still doesn't excuse you." Gabrielle smiled at the older woman." Mother can I call you that? I admit I did want to, but I don't now it was a stupid spell of the gods and I'm over it really I am." Cyrene gave her a hug." Alright dear and I am honoured you call me mother." She poured them more drinks and listened while Gabrielle told her of their recent adventures.

Tiredness soon came over them, the long journey had been exhausting and the combination of good food and wine, cider for Gabrielle had just about done for them and the Inn was winding up for the busiest part of the day and was filling up and it was then Xena and Gabrielle decided to retire and go to their room. They said goodnight to Cyrene and Ella and walked up the two flights of stairs to their room. entered and saw a double bed dominating the space. Xena laid her weapons on a chair and flopped on the bed too tired to do more and Gabrielle joined her and they snuggled up together." She's given us the best room in the place." Xena said yawning Gabrielle joined her and snuggled up." For a minute there I thorght she was going to insist on my punishing you." she giggled." So did I." Xena yawned again. Thunder rumbled and lightening flashed but neither of them paid much attention as they fell asleep in each others arms.

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Micha squatted down in front of the old man sitting crosslegged on the floor. Theron stared through him as if he wasn't there." I would have liked you to see the moment of my triumph Theron but I'm afraid you wouldn't really appreciate it. But no matter, there will be plenty of witnesses to see it and you will die knowing that I have won. It's only a question of when you will die, the goddess want's me to do it now but I like you and I want to keep you around. You might still be of use to me." " You have won nothing and she is no goddess, just some killer plucked from another time." Theron said calmly. Micha's face turned to a snear and he waved a scroll in front of his face." I found it, your confession to Gia and of the child you fathered and abandoned. You had to ofcourse to become the gatekeeper. Does she know who you really are? shall I tell her who her father is or shall I kill her instead of you? But you two can still live if you." Theron stared at him." You do as you wish. I will not help you." Micha shook his head." Pity, well so be it." he rose up and stared down at the shaman." After tonight it wont matter anyway, oh well you can die slowly down here and your daughter will curse your name, forever." He laughed as he turned away and walked out the room and Theron heard the door being locked. Micha looked at the guard." Nobody sees him nobody gets in understand." he said and the man nodded. Micha turned and walked back to the main room, the little side trip to talk with his prisoner had taken longer than he had wanted but he had enjoyed the look on the old man's face. Now he was ready for his special moment.

Dressed in the full reglia of the shaman Micha walked solemnly carrying the stone fire bowl and set it down in the middle of the glade. He'd told everyone in town to be there and the glade was full. Now they would all know of his importance and he could barely hide his smile as he passed the people who had looked down on him but a few days ago. He added the small sticks to the little flame and watched as the fire grew and then he began carefully to say the first part of the chant. To the right of him some feet away a dark shimmering began to grow into a large black hole standing verticly before them and the people backed away bunching together fearful of it. Thunder rumbled and lighening flashed overhead making the scene even more errie and then another shimmer appeared beside Micha and a woman with wild blonde hair wearing a short leather top and an even shorter leather battle skirt and long boots was suddenly standing next to him. The crowd seeing the demon goddess were close to panic at the sight of her but they didn't run they just stared wondering what was going to appear next. Micha fed some powder to the flames from a little pouch and watched as the fire turned from a bright yellow to a cold pale blue then he began to say the second part of the chant ending with." I call forth upon the Guardians of time to bring me the warrior woman." Then a flash of lightening lit up the sky and the glade in stark white light the hole began to vibrate and there was a loud roar.

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Night had begun to fall and Jan got herself ready for work but tonight she didn't want to go in, the weather with it's dark threatening clouds was going to open up over her head the moment she left, the two things she hated more than anything were high winds and heavy rain, both made riding unprdictable and highly dangerous and she felt uncomfortable more than usual. This storm indicated very heavy rain. She pulled on her helmet as she left the flat and walked to the bike turned the ignition key and rode onto the road. Thunder rumbled and a streak of light almost blinded her as she rode on alone on the road. A bit further on she saw she was riding into the storm, the weather was steadily getting worse and visability was becoming more strained. Then a strange thing appeared, a dark black hole standing vertical, vibrating and huge, across the whole road and she just couldn't avoid it. Suddenly she was inside it the headlight couldn't penitrate the blackness and she couldn't see. Was she moving? behind and in front there was only blackness then just as quickly she was in light again and the storm but now she saw peoples' faces screaming scattering and trees, lots of trees she squezzed the brakes and felt herself fly over the bike and she crashed into a tree and all went black. The bike carriered on crashing into another tree and came to a stop.

The people had run away and the glade was left empty save for Micha and the goddess and the fallen rider and Deimos and Leia hid behind a tree and watched as the demon walked to the rider avoiding the odd looking beast that seemed to be dead and she pulled off the helm and looked at the face." It's not her you idiot you've brought the wrong one." she yelled furiously she turned and suddenly she was at Micha grabbing him by the throat." Tell me why I shoudn't kill you right now." Micha choaked." It wasn't my fault you should have given me a name. I didn't know." he cried." Kill me now and you won't get another chance." his voice squeaked and she released him and he sank to his knees coughing and whipeing his snotty nose on his sleeve." The woman I want is Xena Warrior Princess you little worm and I will KILL you if you mess this up again." Then she vanished. Micha got up and picking up the bowl left the glade. Deimos and Leia came out from their hiding place and went to the rider. Leia bent over her and put her head to her face." She's alive quick help me get her to Kara." Deimos bent down and lifted the unconsious woman and carried her to the healer. They laid her on the healer's bed and as Deimos left them Leia and Kara began to strip her, Leia pulled at a tag and marvelled at the way it ran down the teeth opening the jacket and they pulled off the clothes as best they could finding bruises and abraisions on her ribs and arms and the left ankle was badly swollen and Kara strapped it up and smiled." Good she's coming round, I was a bit worried about that." Jan blinked as she tried to focus seeing the two women looking down at her." Where am I?" she asked.

Sorry for the delay had a few problems as thieves stole my laptop but I am ok now and ready to go.


	3. Chapter 3

3

" Please who are you and where am I? " Leia and Kara stared at her looking very confused. Jan said it again." What is she saying? " Kara said between her teeth." I don't know." Leia said between hers and she smiled at the stranger." Don't be afraid, you have had an accident." she said slowly and Jan stared at them utterly stunned. What was wrong with her? was she going mad? she couldn't understand a word of this. Something was definitely not right here she thorght then she thorght something else was not right either as she groaned feeling a sharp pain in her left ankle and then lesser pains in other places. She looked down beneath the cover and saw that her clothes were gone and there were bandages, and lesser bruises on her body. She had been pretty knocked about and also patched up by the look of things by these people." Thanks." she said and nodded to them. They gave her unsure smiles and nodded back. Jan looked around the room which was lit by small oil lamps and she noticed the jars and bowls and their clothes were all very old fashioned to her and it all looked pretty real. What was this a film set ? a re-enactment group of some kind? What was going on here? and she felt a sudden urge to laugh." Okay enoughs' enough stop messing about where are we?" she said looking at their faces and began to feel a little annoyed about this. She should to be in a hospital and though these amateurs were very nice and all that but she should be treated by professionals. The two women stared back at her and the elder one of the two gave her a bowl and motioned her to drink a noxious looking liquid. She looked at their faces, unsure at first but then their encouraging smiles and gestures and the fact they had taken care of her she thorght it churlish of herself not to accept and she drank it down and laid back. Gradually she felt her pains recede, then she began to feel very tired and in seconds she fell asleep." What did you give her?" Leia asked. " A little poppy juice it will help her to relax and heal. She's had a big shock." Kara said and Leia turned to her." Did you get anything of what she was saying?" Kara shook her head." No and I take it you didn't either." Leia sighed." I wonder where on earth she comes from? "

Xena woke suddenly to sunlight beaming in her face and she looked up to see blue sky and white fluffy clouds framed by green stalks of waveing corn where what she should have seen were roofbeams. She jumped up looking around her, she was standing in the middle of a cornfield and all around were other fields." Gabrielle wake up." she shouted. Gabrielle opened her eyes slowly and looked up." Oh very funny Xena very good, what a joke." she said getting to her feet." I didn't do this." Xena growled and Gabrielle stared at her." What? where are we then?" Gabrielle asked." I can tell you where we are not, we're not in Amphipolis in my mother's Inn in Thrace or Greece." Xena said grimly looking around her." How?"

" What when where, who why, the only one you can't ask is which and the answer to it all is, I don't know. We're not even at the same time." Gabrielle blinked not comprehending her and Xena grabbed a corn stalk." Look at it, it's not ripe yet and the field is full, back home the fields were poor because of the bad summer and it was near harvest. This hasn't been affected which means the Greek gods don't oporate here." Xena said grimly. Where are we? Then she looked for her weapons and found none, she had put them on the chair and they wern't with her now. Thankfully they hadn't undressed as well or they would have been standing there buck naked she thorght suddenly and she wondered if Gabrielle had come to that thorght too. They walked to the edge of the field and found a dirt road. They looked up and down wondering which way to go and Xena felt a strange pull whenever she turned to the left something was pulling her that way. It was obvious they were meant to go in that direction she thorght and she pointed to the rise." Lets see shall we."

Deimos was thinking about their situation and it was more serious than he had first imagined it to be. The demon goddess had expected someone else to have come through that black hole or whatever it was and she had been furious with Micha for it being the wrong person. He had been lucky she hadn't killed him there and then and now he was hold up in the temple surounded by the guards making it look more like a fortress than a place of worship after promising to get the warrior she wanted. He had tried to speak with the young man but the sargeant at arms had refused him access at the temple door and told him in no uncertain terms to go away. He couldn't barge past the soldiers so he returned to the healers' worried by the situation that he now found himself in. He the mayor, refused to be seen by the Shaman, lesser men could lose their position as leader for things like that and the way things had gone this was a crisis that had to be discussed. Deimos had also noticed the community was already showing signs it was splitting up and taking sides. Some were willing to stand up and fight the demon and Micha and others were too afraid to incur their anger and either hideing or becoming their tools. The whole thing was seriously worrying and he couldn't stop it or deal with it anymore. Another thing this Xena they spoke of. Was she a friend or foe and should he warn her? and there was this other woman, was she there to help or hinder them? He had so many questions and not enough answers and he wondered what or who could help him with this, and he thorght of Leia and decided to go and see her. She might know what to do she might have an idea. There was one thing he had made his mind up to do and he raced off to put it into action then he returned to the healers' place and walked in. Seeing Jan asleep he looked at Leia." Has our guest said anything yet? " Leia shook her head." She has but we couldn't understand a single word, nor she us." Deimos was disapointed at that piece of news." What nothing! " he asked and she sighed." It's no language I know of, I really had hoped to know where she came from." Deimos sighed." I really need to know why she is here." he said frowning unhappily, this was just what he didn't need he thorght and he began to tell her of his concerns. She listened seeing his desire to make the right decision to the events unfolding around them and he looked lost. she wanted so much to hold him to her and comfort him. Then a young man called Yasca rushed in to the healers' and stopped by the mayor." Two women out on the Tolim Road what are we to do with them? " Deimos sighed." I have to go." he said rather annoyed he had to leave so quickly and he said to the boy." I'll come with you." Leia sighed, she hadn't had her chance to talk with him.

Xena and Gabrielle had walked up the rise of the hill and they stopped at the top. It hadn't looked a long way and it had taken the best part of the morning for them to get this far, the day was certainly warming up and they were hot and needed rest and water as they looked over the flat plain stretching out before them for miles. There were more fields and In the very far distance they could see the shadowy outline of buildings. Maybe these were the owners of the crops that were growing so abundently and to their right Xena could see a small wood. All the while Xena had felt the pull she had growing stronger. Why was she being drawn there and by whom? It was quite obvious she was meant to go there but not haveing any answers was troubling her. Gabrielle puffed wanting to rest a bit." Can't we rest up for a moment? " Xena wasn't going to do that." No we can't stop, there's no food or drink here so the sooner we get there the sooner we can rest." Xena said wanting to keep going and she strode on with Gabrielle struggling to keep up with her.

Jan woke after her long sleep feeling a lot better but as she looked around she saw nothing had changed. She was still in this crazy medieval time warp. If there had been no injuries she probably would have thorght it was all an odd dream she was having but her pains were real enough and she was stuck somewhere in an odd world and out of time. She settled back and thorght of her hairy ride through the storm and the strange thing that had loomed up in front of her. What was that thing? then her going into it and coming out the other side she presumed. There were so many people about then she could have killed someone at that point and she seriously hoped she hadn't, then she thorght these people might not have looked after so well if she had hurt someone so she concluded that sh hadn't. The final memory she had was seeing a big tree coming toward her and Jan thorght it was probably why she couldn't remember any more, because she had hit it hence the injuries and memory loss. Okay so that explained her accident but nothing else and she was none the wiser as to why she couldn't speak with these people or why they couldn't understand her. Jan lay there and had a longer look at her suroundings. Her coverings were of homespun and there were no ceramics she could see save for the large jars leaning aganst the wall everything else was either made of wood or bone and the cooking pot was of a metal she suspected was of bronze. Great I'm in the land that time forgot. She laughed at the silly notion but this was no laughing matter. This was at best a poor rural community though they looked European or near enough, there were not too many of those like that except in the old eastern block countries but that still didnt explain their comunication problem. She knew even there they knew English and she could have got by and to work out where she was but their talk had just been gobbledegook to her and she was no wiser as to where in the world she had ended up. At least these people had been doing their best for her and whether they could talk to each other or not they still had looked after her she thorght to herself." Telephone?" she said making the hand gesture to Kara who didn't seem to know what she meant and just handed her some food in a wooden bowl that looked like a stew of some kind and Jan smiled and nodded to her as her only means of saying thank you. Though on tasteing it she didn't recognise the meat she was eating and the mug of coarse red wine rasped the back of her throat. Great, I can't even complain if it tastes crap she thorght.

Caro came in and kissed Kara on the cheek." Hello mother. I got your message you have a job for me? " Kara smiled." Yes I need you to make a crutch for the stranger, she can't lay about all day and she needs to get up and moving." He looked at the young woman and then moved to measure her against his staff." What's this, what are you doing? " Jan snapped at him slapping him away. Kara tried to make her understand with a bit of dumb show and limping around the room and after a few moments Jan finally got what they meant and she smiled a little shamefaced at her outburst and she let him take a proper mesurement. He smiled back and Jan felt a tug at her heart. She watched him as he talked with the elder woman and saw him kiss her hand as he left. Nice gesture she thorght and he looked handsome too with his soft curls frameing his face and his bashful smile, were they family? she wondered and she felt she wouldn't mind seeing him again.

Even from this distance Xena could see the men amongst the shadows of the building and they walked on as if they were just haveing a leisurely stroll and slowly getting closer to the town that was becoming clearer to them. If the men were trying not to be seen they wern't doing a very good job of it Xena thorght to herself." Can you see them? " Xena asked and Gabrielle nodded." Four, five. Xena what are we going to do? " Xena smiled." Nothing I hope unless they want trouble. Just be ready." the warrior said and Gabrielle grinned. As they got closer Xena saw a couple of them working round to be at their backs so they would then be surounded. Two men stepped out in front of them, one was holding a large club and the other raised his hand to Xena." Stop right there." he ordered her. Xena stopped and smiled sweetly at him." I want to see your leader." she said calmly.

" Not if I say you don't." he said. Xena's smile broadened." Well it's not up to you and if you don't want to nurse a broken arm you'll let me through." she said and the man with the club began to swing it threatenly at her. Xena felt the men behind closeing in and she waited. Then suddenly Xena sidestepped the club and kicked the man's leg and he sank to his knees loseing balance and one of the men at her back rushed forward and she slipped a hand to his arm, twisted it and threw him onto his fellow attacker and the two they lay tangled in each other and they cursed and yelled as they scrambled to get free. Then a sudden shout." Stop." and everyone turned to look behind them." I am the mayor, I tell you what you can do and I tell you to stop this right now." he said looking at his neighbours then he turned to the women. " My name is Xena and I'd like to know where is this place? " At hearing her name Deimos started." Xena? You are the Warrior Princess? " Xena stared at him." Some would call me that." she said suspiciously." Then welcome, we have been expecting you." Deimos said. Xena frowned." Have you and how is that? "

" Let me explain." he said.

Reviews are always welcome.


	4. Chapter 4

My appologies to a guest reader who I wasn't able to moderate their review in time. Also my thanks for all reviews. I really apreicate them.

4

" Let me explain." Deimos said as he let them in to his house and lit the oil lamp. He had led them through the back streets to his house avoiding the temple so the guards wouldn't see them and report it to Micha. He didn't feel any easier about having them there but now they at least were under cover." We went to sleep in Amphipolis and woke up here, care to explain that and where are we exactly?" Xena asked frowning at him and he looked uncomfortable." This is Urgit. Micha seized the temple and shaman's crown and he holds Theron the real shaman prisoner. He cast a spell and brought a demon goddess through the hole. Then people started getting killed." he said. Xena looked at him." Wait a minute, what do you mean a hole?" she asked and Deimos shrugged." It just looked like a hole, I think he wants to be more than just shaman, he wants everything, the whole country, maybe even be king of the world." he said looking at her.

Urgit was a long way from Amphipolis which explained how they had got there overnight and this Micha sounded as ambitious as he was clever, getting a goddess on side was smart but risky and Xena wondered who she was." This goddess, does she a name?" she asked her frown deepening." Never heard it said and when the other one came we heard her mention it was you she wanted. Revenge for some crime or other." Deimos said.

That didn't help much she had enemies a plenty and not knowing who it was just added to her problems." Hold on, there's another one who came?" Gabrielle said hitting on what he had said earlier." Seems that was a mistake, she came in on a strange beast and we had to run for our lives but we know nothing about her because we can't understand a word she says." The mayor said." I'd like to see her where is she?" Xena asked wondering if this was just another problem along with the rest." She was injured when she hit the tree and she's with our healer, but the beast died though. I'll take you to her." Deimos explained." Show me this animal first." Xena said wondering what sort of beast this was.

" The hole came up there." Deimos pointed." And she came through and hit the tree there." his hand shot across fast to show her the way the stranger had come and Xena saw the huge mark on the trunk where it was hit. She walked around the thing and knew it was not an animal but a strange machine that must have moved judgeing by the deflated wheel. It was made of many different things, some she knew and recognised like the metal but there were other things she had no idea of. The plastics and rubber were new to her and she looked at the tank leaking it's fuel into the earth and it all had a horrible smell. She checked around the glade and noted it must have been coming in at speed." Be careful of that I think it's inflamable." she warned him pointing at the leak. " What is that?" Gabrielle said grimacing at it." Your guess is as good as mine but it's no animal." Xena said quietly and then looked to the mayor." Right let's go meet this woman now." she said and Deimos led them from the glade.

Leia was very relieved when she saw Deimos come in but she knew straight away the other two were serious warriors and she felt a tinge of fear when he introduced her and Kara to Xena and Gabrielle. This was the woman the goddess was on about and she looked at Deimos who looked back at her and shrugged. Xena asked the healer about her patient, how badly was she injured and was she fit enough to talk to. The healer pointed to the woman on the bed watching them with interest as Xena and Gabrielle inspected her things stacked against the wall." Not sure how she'll take it." Kara said and Xena turned to Gabrielle." See what you can do." she said to the bard and Gabrielle wondered how she was going to begin with this woman who didnt speak their language. Baby steps, she thorght to herself and sat down by the stranger. Jan pulled the covers up to her chin, not liking to feel the object of such interest and with no clothes she felt exposed. She wasn't at all sure what was coming next by these two who were dressed so differently from the other people here. The young woman before her looked friendly but the dark haired one she felt had an air of danger about her.

" Gabrielle," Gabrielle said putting a hand to her chest. pointed to Xena and said." Xena" then she did the same to Kara and Leia pointing to each and saying their names, then she pointed to the stranger. Nothing at first and Gabrielle repeated it then Jan got what she was doing and said." Jan." she said. Everybody smiled feeling they had gotten somewhere except Xena who stood back and watched Jan intently. Jan pointed to Leia and said her name and then to Deimos repeating them each time learning their names happy to feel the contact at last. Gabrielle tried her next question. She spread her arms wide indicating the whole place and touched the floor." This Urgit. Where home?" she pointed to Jan. Jan couldn't get it as Gabrielle patiently acted out her depiction of home. Jan was starting to feel frustrated at this inane playacting and she let her feelings go sharply." Look this is absolutely crazy. I'm not getting any of this I'm from London, England surely you've heard of Great Britain and can call the embassy." Xena started at the one out of the unfamilier words she thorght she understood." I think she said she's a Briton, the island north of Gaul." Gabrielle turned back to Jan." Briton?" Gabrielle sighed with relief as Jan nodded suspiciously at them, Gaul was France wasn't it, and Briton, those terms they used were old, very old she thorght. Wern't they the names the Romans called them by? " Roman?!" she exclaimed stareing at Xena. Xena glared at her." Do you mind." she growled and Jan got the meaning if not the words, Not Roman and not a fan of them Jan thorght and began to feel very cold all of a sudden. Where was she for goodness sake?

" Let her rest now." Kara said quickly concerned for her charge seeing her obviously in some distress and Gabrielle sighed at being stopped so soon. She had wanted to continue but Xena's look told her to end it there and she turned to Deimos." We've got to talk, there's much to plan." she said to him and he nodded." I'll call the council together. I need their support for this." he said enphaticly and accepting it Xena nodded. There was a risk with too many knowing about them but then, she had need of everyone's support too and she said." I want to talk to them too, and get her on her feet as soon as you can." she said to Kara.

Micha was in the library franticly searching through the scrolls for more spells and secrects as the sargeant walked in. Things hadn't quite gone the way he worked it. Xena should have come so he could send her beyond as intended and instead a total stranger had come from the tear he had created, and the goddess was absolutely furious with him." Sir, a spy has just come with news. Xena is here." Micha looked up at him from a dusty piece." Where?" The sargeant sighed, this boy was a fool he thorght." She was seen with Deimos. I told you he was going to be trouble. We should have killed him when we had the chance or got 'her' to." Micha shook his head." And I explained why not, his death would only bring about a full scale rebellion and we can't afford that, not yet anyway. So the Warrior Princess is here, good that saves me from having to call her again now we can get on with the rest of it." he said aloud though he wasn't really talking to the soldier." Go back to your duties I'll call you when I want you." Micha waved him away, he had a lot to do and he had to start on it. The soldier saluted and left with utter contempt on his face. He hated that he had to crawl to a mere boy and obey him but one day when the goddess wasn't around he was going to give that boy something he wouldn't forget or just wave away.

Xena looked at the group of people squashed into Deimos' small house and began." First we have to find the real shaman and rescue him." she heard an audible gasp." Or there wont be any way we can change things." she said sharply and turned to Deimos." I must know the temple layout to give me some idea of where he might be held." One of the men called Kazim clearly wasn't happy about this." You can't do that, he'll send her after us." Leia joined in." She'll come anyway, we have to do this." Kazim laughed." You would say that, to keep your boyfriend happy." Leia paled at his suggestion and Deimos glared but didn't speak." No she said it because she is right. You dont have a choice unless you want to go on taking orders from the demon and her boy wizard." Xena growled at Kazim and the others started up each with their own opinions. Deimos tried desperatly to keep their voices down. Xena hadn't mentioned the alternative, that Theron might be dead already and there wasnt any chance, but she let them go on believeing there was for the moment.

" Deimos said this was a council desision and you all have to approve it so I'm asking because I need your help, all of you." Xena said and stared them down one by one before she stepped back and leant against wall. The council members huddled close and talked on. Xena wanted to hurry them. If they disapproved she had her plan anyway but she would rather it was with their consent and she just had to wait for them to come to their desision themselves.

Kara had given her meat with flat bread and another drink and Jan snuggled down in the bed feeling the warm glow spreading over her body. Her head was swimming. She's zonking me out she thorght to herself suddenly realising that she was being doped up. Yes it stopped the pains but it also stopped her from thinking clearly and she had to find a way to stop that somehow. Probably it was in the wine and she had to refuse that and stick to water she told herself. The meeting had been very interesting and she had learnt quite a bit, mostly names but it was a start. It was still a crazy situation and she still had no idea how she'd got there. Came in the Tardis with Doctor Who her inner voice said and she began to giggle. No think straight you came through that hole, that other voice said and another thorght struck her and two faces swam before her eyes. The dark haired woman with the steel blue eyes and the younger blonde whose eyes sparkled like emeralds. They know, the other voice said in her head and Jan knew she had to ask, had to find out more and she suddenly came to and called out." Kara?"

They were still arguing about it and Xena and Gabrielle watched on waiting for the council to make up their minds. Xena groaned impatiently." Get on with it." as the differing views tooing and frowing amongst the group seemed to go on forever. Gabrielle patted her hand." They have to discuss it Xena." Xena pulled a face, her way was much quicker she thorght. This was just a lot of hot air and a waste of time." I know that, the longer this goes on the more chance we have of being found out before we can start." she didn't like that they were boxed in like this, they could be surounded. Deimos and Leia were gradually winning over their detractors." Their in love Xena." Gabrielle suddenly said grinning as she saw it." Then why didn't he back her up when Kazim had a go at her?" Xena growled." Maybe he can't. Some societies have strict rules about relationships and her position in the council could be threatened if she were seen as bedding her way to the top." Gabrielle said." It's like that in most societies Gabrielle he should just declare it and clear the air." Xena said flatly.

" Xena." she looked round and the group had turned and was looking at them." We have come to our decision. We'll do as you say and help you." Deimos said." Hector here knows the full layout of the temple he helped to build it." he said clapping the older man on the back." Good, first we are going to need weapons, they were left behind when we came through." Xena said and everybody looked nonplassed by this. The only weapons in town were owned by the temple guards and Deimos said." We don't have any, we're not fighters we're farmers." Xena held back a string of oaths.

" Alright a cooking knife then." she said through gritted teeth." I think I can help you there if you come with me." Leia said and Xena nodded." Gabrielle will explain things and we shall be back as quickly as possible." She said giving Gabrielle a mischeivious grin as she followed Leia out.

Gabrielle wasn't expecting that and she held back the verbal tirade she had wanted to give Xena and smiled at the assembled group looking expectantly." Right, Hector you start on that map. We need to get in, normally Xena would just let herself be captured. But she knows she can't do that here." she added quickly seeing a sea of horrified faces. " So we will need disguises and a diversion." she finished with a beaming smile.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone.


	5. Chapter 5

5

Xena followed Leia down the narrow streets hugging the shadows, at least she knew what she was doing staying close to the cluster of houses the warrior thorght to herself as she too held to the shadows. They passed close by the temple they stopped and watched the patrolling guards for a moment. Not quite bored enough, they'd be quick to react she thorght and Leia was very relieved when Xena moved on. They got to her house and Leia walked in and closed the shutters before she lit the small oil lamp on the table. Then she turned and opened the chest set against the wall and lifted out a sword and held it out to Xena." This was my Grandpa's, I never knew him but my Ma said he was a good warrior." she said." He passed it on to her, not that she or I know what to do with it." Xena unsheathed it and looked it over then tested it, swinging it, twirlling it about her and knew it felt good in her hand it was perfectly balanced." Your grandpa knew a good sword when he saw one. It's a fine heirloom and I am honoured, it's beautiful. Though it could do with a whetstone." Xena said fingering the edge and Leia smiled bashfully." Well you know how and what to do." Xena smiled back." I do." she said and she felt the young woman wanted to say something." Go on say it." she said flatly and Leia reddened." Do you expect us to fight?" she looked afraid. Afraid for Deimos and her friends, they could be hurt or even die. Xena sighed." I can't promise you it won't happen, there is always a chance when you fight it can go wrong, but I will try to see it doesn't come to that." Leia jumped at the thorght." No, if there's any fighting to be done it will be me and I dont intend to lose." Xena said and Leia sighed, she looked and felt a lot better about that.

Micha put his head to the floor to show his abject obediance." I have news my lady, Xena is here. She was seen with Deimos and an Amazon." The goddess smiled. " Gabrielle, she matters little you can send her through the hole. Right where is she? I've waited long enough for this and I want to see her dead at my feet right now." Micha looked up from those feet." Lady why waste time chaseing her down? She will come to us, specially as we have the bait. They will ask her to rescue Theron so he can restore everything." he said and smiled up at her and the goddess looked down at the boy." And I shall be waiting." " And you shall be waiting." he said. His grin broadened.

It hadnt taken long for Gabrielle to explain the plan to everyone and most had left already to prepair. As Xena hadnt returned she went back to Kara's house while the mayor went off to supervise the others." She was asking for you." Kara said looking at the stranger who had finally sucombed to her sleeping drug." It will be a while before she wakes again." she said and Gabrielle sighed." She will need clothes do you have any spare for her?" Kara nodded and ran to a trunk and came back holding a bundle and Gabrielle sat down to wait.

A while later Jan woke to find the bard with a small pile of clothing beside her. Kara gave her a drink and Jan looked at it suspiciously and set it down, shook her head pointing to it and made the sleep sign and shook her head again." I think she's not very pleased at being drugged." Gabrielle said and Jan looked at her and Gabrielle made the sleep sign shook her head and took a mouthful to proove it was safe. Jan took a drink but she still gave the healer a less than friendly look over the rim of the cup. Gabrielle showed her the clothing and Jan couldnt help but grimaceing. It was a dress, not very flash or fancy, with soft leather sandals, just peasant garb in dun colours. She hated dresses and hadnt worn one in years, but she was pleased to cover herself and she tried to look grateful.

Caro joined them bringing with him a pair of crutches, he had carefully padded the tops for under the arms adding a touch of comfort to the user and he smiled at Jan when he held them out to her. Putting them under her arms she pushed off and began to move around. It wasnt as easy as she thorght it would be it was the dress clinging to her and tangled around her legs and she toppled and then almost fell flat. She could hear giggling behind her as she stumbled about but it got no better as she tried to kick away the material and the giggling got louder, she began to laugh at the silliness of it all too. That was when Xena walked in. Oh great Xena thorght initially seeing everyone laughing helplessly but then she saw Gabrielle laughing and her heart warmed at the sight.

Their last adventure had been hard on Gabrielle and she had seen her spirit fall to such a low that Xena felt the bard had lost her smile let alone her laugh. She had needed a long rest and falling into this buisness had taken that away from them but here she was, so happy it made Xena feel something she rarely felt herself, light inside. Unable to go any further Jan collapsed on the bed and Xena slit the dress at the side of her legs." Try it now." Still laughing and with Caro steadying her she moved around much easier than before but still wobbly though it was from her enforced inactivity and the effects of the drug than anything else. Then she flumped back down on the bed and looked serious at the women." Xena, Gabrielle." she pointed to them and then enacted her experiance of going through the hole. Xena nodded and Jan sighed, she was right about them she thorght and Xena gave her a reasuring hand on her shoulder then turned to Gabrielle and said." Gabrielle when it's time she must come with us but for now I'm bushed and Leia has arranged a bed for us." Gabrielle yawned feigning tiredness and Xena grinned and put her arm around her." Come on."

Night had fallen and the large group of people walked in procession holding torches singing and dancing, waving fronds and tree branches as they progressed through the street. A full blown cerimony to the earth goddess Uras whom Micha had usurped with the demon. In amongst them were Jan on her crutches with Caro and a heavily diguised Gabrielle keeping her upright and Xena under a cape a few paces behind. Jan didn't have a clue what was going on even after Gabrielle had tried to tell her and then Xena had pushed her out the door and she joined with the throng as they passed and she noticed others in the group and realised this was big whatever it was.

The soldiers watched the procession slowly coming toward them and wondered what they were supposed to do about it. Sargeant Vidjat shouted the command." Hold Positions." the soldiers drew their weapons. Hearing the hubbub Micha came out to take a look. This was it he thorght, the moment he had been waiting for. He hadn't seen the warrior woman but he knew she was there, somwhere in the group and he shouted at the men to not let the crowd any nearer and he began to recite the words of the incantation. The procession was so loud nobody heard him and as they got closer Xena saw two apperitions, the hole formed across the far line of small houses and the other, near to Micha. The ghostly pressance quickly took shape and became the very vision of all her hate and shame and the name escaped her lips. " Callisto."

Xena was stunned, it couldnt be not her, she was dead. She saw her die. Callisto drew a powerball in her hand and threw it at the advancing people." What? Run." Xena shouted and the crowd scattered every which way in panic. Xena pushed Jan and Gabrielle out of the way and they tumbled to the ground as the ball of fire flew over their heads and crashed into the building behind them. With a savage roar Xena rose unsheathed the sword and ran at her enemy. In a blur Jan saw Micha say something and the black hole quivered and shook as Xena crossed its path and she was suddenly caught, pulled in dragging her towards it. Jan jumped up and launched herself at Xena grabbing her then in a rush like sucking air they were both shot into the inky blackness.

Gabrielle looked up at the strange but famillier sound. A figure was coming toward her, it was laughing and as the smoke cleared she saw the face." No. YOUR DEAD." Gabrielle cried seeing the face of her worst nightmares. The laughing stopped abruptly and Callisto pursed her lips." True, but it seems I didn't come from then, I had another life it seems and with a bonus. You know I had thorght of you going through the hole and my killing her but I think I prefer it this way. Now she gets to spend the rest of her miserable life never knowing what happened to you." She formed another powerball and Gabrielle suddenly looked behind Callisto." Xena!." Callisto spun to look saw nothing and then turned back to the bard. She was gone. Callisto sighed." Patience, your turn will come." she said furiously calm and stamped her foot flashing out and Micha looked around, finding himself alone in the square he walked back into the temple.

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They tumbled, rolling, falling not knowing which way was up or down. All around them was black and then they were in bright blinding lights and Jan fell onto hard pavement Xena rolled further on and there was loud screaching as a strange thing stopped before her with blazing eyes and a blareing voice. Xena jumped up and drove the sword into its face and a cloud of hot steam shot out as the sword pierced the radiator. The driver got out of the car and started yelling at her and with a ferocious roar Xena pulled the sword free and brandished it at him. The man ran off screaming in fear. People were stareing at her and the strange scene and Jan limped over to Xena and pulled her out of the road and they ran down the street ducking down a side ally until Jan had to stop with the pain she felt in her ankle. Jan pointed to the sword and vigorously shook her head." No Xena." she said pushing the sword back into its sheath." You can't use it." Xena growled as the woman closed her hand over hers pushing the blade into the sheath and Jan wondered how she was going to make her understand. Then Jan had another thorght, the place she noticed was definately somewhere in London and what had happened would draw the police, the area was going to be crawling with them in no time." Oh hi officer, we've just travelled in time and my friend here with a sword is two thousand years old and she dosen't know what a car is, sorry she killed it." Yeah she could just imagine how that would go down, they would never get away, and the way they were dressed made them stand out like a sore thumb and they'd be quickly spotted. She knew she had to get them under cover somehow. She'd lost the crutches and couldnt walk far and it took a few moments for her to make Xena see she would have to be carried. The warrior hoisted her up on her back and with Jan pointing the way she started walking.

A little further on Jan saw a street sign. 2ml Ilford." We're miles away." Jan groaned realising they couldnt go on like this. She had to find a phone then she saw an open takeaway and after telling Xena to stay put in the shadow of a doorway she went in. She saw an old payphone hanging on a wall and then remembered she hadnt any money and she knew Xena had none. Jan flashed a smile at the little guy behind the counter." I don't suppose you can lend me 10p? " He grimaced." This is not a charity lady." he grumbled she smiled at him again and he slammed a coin on the counter. She quickly dialed and heard the voice on the other end say hello." Hi Pete do me a favour will you."

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Gabrielle ran blindly through the streets and she had no idea where she was or how to get back to the healers house. Then she saw the woman standing at the doorway and Gabrielle fell into the woman's arms." Their gone, both of them and then I saw her." she wailed." Who dear?" Kara asked and Gabrielle looked up into her eyes as the woman led her inside." Callisto, the demon is Callisto." she still couldn't quite believe it." We thorght she was dead and buried, literally." she said thinking of the quicksand and what Xena had told her of Callisto's death." And Xena's gone and can't stop her." She sat down on Jan's bed and couldn't stop her tears." Where's Jan what happened to her?" It was Caro, like everyone he'd ran when Xena had told them to and didn't know what had happened. Gabrielle turned to him." That hole thingy dragged her in with Xena and I don't know where they are now." she said and the enormity of the situation struck her and it weighed like lead on her. How could they get Xena back? How could they fight Callisto? Others began to slowly file back into the healer's place. It had become the centre and the haven to come to and Gabrielle saw Deimos come in and walk toward her. He slumped down beside her and she told him what she knew and seen." What a mess." he groaned, feeling totally beaten." Well that's it then we'er done." he said. Leia sighed." We've no choice now, we've got to get Theron back or we really have had it."

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Half an hour waiting in the lea of shop doorways and dark shadows with Jan on the lookout for Pete. As she suspected the police were around whether because of their arrival or something else she wasn't sure but she had no intention of drawing attention to themselves. Then she saw the red post lorry with it's distinctive logo come round the corner and park up. A quick flash of the headlights told her it was the right one and she pointed Xena to it and she ran to it, Jan bounceing on her back then slideing down she pushed Xena into the cab then she climbed up into position and closed the door." Buckle up." Pete said and got the lorry moveing while Jan showed Xena how to put the seatbelt on. Pete couldn't resist having a go." What's all this then? You've been off for nearly a week and what's with the fancy costume, I didn't know you were a party girl? " Only a week, it felt a lot longer Jan thorght and she laughed cynicly." You wouldn't believe me if I told you." The postman laughed." Go on, you'd be surprised with what I'd believe." He looked interestedly at the two women as he swung the vehicle around the traffic. Xena watched facinated as he controlled the thing along the road, useing both hands and feet and talking all at the same time though she knew nothing of what they were saying she concentrated on the road and the driver's prowess. The bright lights of the traffic blinding her, the noise assailing her ears it was both frightening and exilarating to her." Look I crashed the bike and hurt my foot but don't mention you've seen us mate." Jan said and Pete nodded." She don't say much." he cocked his head to Xena." She dosn't." Jan said and he could see Jan look at Xena and put her finger to her lips." Yeah ok but you owe me." he said resigned that he wasnt going to get anything and Jan grinned." Big time." she said. He never could resist a mystery she thorght. The vehicle moved on through the night weaving in and out of the traffic but it was a smooth ride and eventually it came to a stop in the carpark of her block of flats and as Jan and Xena got out the cab the postman leaned out of his window." You will tell me about this when you can. I'm holding you to that promise." he said sure there was more to this than she was letting on and Jan smiled." Yeah mate. When I can, and thanks for the lift." He smiled and set off again and they watched the lorry disappear down the road. Xena helped Jan hobble over to what Mrs W euphemisticly called her rockery. It was a small patch of earth and small stones and small flowers in a window box at the old woman's kitchen window and she rummaged in between the stones for her spare key. Finding it then Xena carried her up the stairs and she let them in. Xena jumped when she switched on the light and she let Xena play with it for a moment to get used to it while she made them coffee's. She watched her and wondered how Xena was going to react to this new world she found herself in. They sat and drank in silence, they were both tired and neither felt conversational, but they looked at each other and knew that they were linked now by the thing that had happened to them both. Jan had felt alone and out of place and now Xena was in her position. She put down the empty cup and got out the spare duvet and pillow for Xena and she sat with the warrior for a while until Xena finished her drink. As Xena rolled the duvet around her and laid her head on the pillow Jan turned out the light and went to her bed. Xena's mind wondered for the first time to thorghts of Gabrielle. What had happened to her after she left? There were only two possabilities, Gabrielle had escaped or Gabrielle was dead and she came to a cold resolution. She would get back and if Callisto had killed her she would slowly feed that bitch to the biggest, meanest Nile crocodile she could find, piece by rotten piece.


	6. Chapter 6

6

" XENA." She screamed and then woke covered in a cold sweat. How had it all gone so wrong? She saw it in her nightmare Xena disappearing through that black nothingness and she didnt know where she had gone to or if it was possible she could return, over and over she saw her disappear. The horrible truth was it was real, it had happened and Xena had disappeared through that hole and Jan with her. Where are you Xena, where have you gone to? She would have jumped in there after her too if she hadnt been stopped and now left behind she simply didnt know what to do. Xena was not dead she was gone that's all and she kept telling herself. She wouldnt think anything else until she had proof otherwise. It was a small consolation to know that at least one person she knew had come through the hole in one piece but she still felt utterly bereft. She had lost her lover and her best friend, her home and her heart and she had also lost the one person she knew who could beat the threats to her and Xena and these people who had looked to them for help. Gabrielle felt a panic she had never known before and she wanted to run away and get as far from here as possible.

Of all the people to turn up here it had to be Callisto. But it wasnt the Callisto she knew this Callisto had a difference, she had godlike powers and Gabrielle had to run like the rest when she saw the danger she was in, she would have been killed anyway powers or not. Still incredibly dangerous but even more so now because Callisto had an arsenal that matched her hate and madness, she could distroy the whole town in the blink of an eye and she was still out there, waiting for her.

The last time she had seen Callisto the madwoman had been all to human and she had died falling into quicksand when she tried to evade capture. Gabrielle had never been sure if Xena had meant to let her die but it happened and Callisto was dead or orght to be so, how had she got here and how had she got those powers? she asked herself. Xena would have known what to do about it but she wasnt here anymore, she was gone and Callisto, a sore point if ever there was one was right here. Now. Gabrielle never felt so helpless and afraid as she did now and she felt utterly powerless as her mind kept repeating in a dull litany. Xena is gone. Xena is gone.

Deimos came into the house and walked straight to her and sat beside her." I had a good look around I didn't see Micha or the demon but the hole is still there." he said and Gabrielle sighed." What do you know of Callisto?" The headman stared at her, he had never heard of the name and he looked confused at Gabrielle and she felt she ought to explain to him. " The demon goddess you know is called Callisto and when we last saw her she was human. She was a vicious murderer bent only on revenge and death and she killed my husband and many others before she died when she tried to escape justice for her crimes. I don't know how she got those powers but she is certainly no goddess." she said and Deimos look changed as he asked." Your sure of this?" Gabrielle nodded. " Xena saw her die." Then she remembered something Callisto had said when she had talked to her." Callisto said she had come from another time, another lifetime, maybe that was how she got the powers. Did Micha bring her through the hole as well? " she said and Deimos face tightened." Didn't see it but he must have, and there's another problem. I think it's getting larger." Gabrielle's head began to swim, she was begining to feel swamped by all this, it was another problem on top of everything else. If the hole was getting larger how big could it grow what then? would it grow to swallow houses, the town, would they have to evacuate? and she looked at the mayor." Better put a watch on it just in case it is growing and if anything else comes or goes through it." she advised him and as Deimos left she felt like she was drowning in the mire and Gabrielle didnt feel anyway as confident as she was makeing herself sound. She was desperate for answers to her questions and Xena was beyond reach to help her. Xena come back to me her heart cried.

The healer's house had filled quickly with the hurt and traumatised after they were attacked, fortunately none were serious just minor cuts and burns and some were deeply shocked and Kara was kept busy with the help of the other women. Leia was boiling bandages over the fire and Theira was soothing the brow of a man with a burned arm while his wife was weeping softly. It was quiet other than that and she looked around the room and saw the wan and shaken faces and wondered what would be the end to all this. Even Gabrielle was deeply hurt inside, grieving for her lost friend and she began to look even worse when the headman came and talked with her. More trouble she thorght and she wondered if it got any worse would she be able to handle it. Gabrielle's face took on a grey pallor as they talked and by the time he left Kara's concern deepened for the girl and she tugged at Leia's sleave drawing her attention to the bard. Both women could see Gabrielle was near to the edge of falling apart and they both knew they needed help.

Together Kara and Leia joined the girl." Gabrielle. We need to have a talk, you know Xena was sent through that hole." Leia said and Gabrielle looked up at the mention of the name but she wasnt focusing." She told me we had a choice either to live in fear of our lives or fight for our freedom. She also warned me that things can go wrong because you can't plan for everything in a fight." she said and Gabrielle nodded sadly. " She told me that too, many times and I've been with her long enough to know it can not go the way you plan it. But I can't accecpt it, she's not dead she's alive and will try to come back but what if she can't? I'm scared. She's a part of me, my soulmate and I feel so lost without her and I'm scared I will never see her again." Leia sat down beside her." I know how you feel. I would feel the same if I lost my soulmate." she stopped as she thorght of loseing Deimos and realiseing it would break her heart." I'm sure your right and she is alive." she said trying to comfort her." But we can't just sit here waiting for the end to come. What should we do? What would Xena have you do right now, think Gabrielle?" she said and Gabrielle frowned at her. She couldnt believe it, they were asking her after what had happened. She could sit and wait for Callisto to come and get her or something else to happen to them, or she could do something herself she thorght." Xena would expect me to get a grip and get on with it." Gabrielle said but she wondered to herself, How can I?

How could she rescue the shaman with Callisto right outside waiting for her? she was just a sidekick. Xena was the hero she could do it, but could she do it? She would have to get past the guards at the door locate where the shaman was fight anyone trying to stop her, get him out then she had to protect him until he was ready to do what he had to. It was a big ask, an impossible ask and with Callisto lurking in the background to add to the problem she suddenly felt it was too much. She stared at Leia and was actually speachless for once. Was the woman mad? Didn't she know what she was asking of her? She couldnt fight Callisto she didnt even want to consider it, she was just a sidekick and this was a killing fight not just one of busting guards heads as Xena would have called it. Leia watched her fighting with the thorghts behind the green eyes sparkling up at her so close to tears." We still have Theron to rescue and Micha has to be stopped. Gabrielle you and Xena knew how to go about this. We don't." The young woman urged her. Gabrielle had expected them to send her away and give up once they had seen it going wrong and she couldnt believe they were willing to go with this. They were still pinning all their hopes on her. You don't know what your saying, Callisto's still out there somewhere and there's that hole she thorght. It was a horrible suggestion expecting her to face Callisto. Gabrielle couldnt bring herself to kill her when she'd had the chance to, even then after she'd killed Perdicus and causeing so much pain to so many. Gabrielle let out a huge gasp and shuddered. The thorght of running came into her head again but she knew she couldnt do that, she would never forgive herself if she left them." I'm not Xena I'm not sure I can do this." she said nervously and Gabrielle shuddered again as she slapped down the map and unrolled it out in front of her.

" Xena said there's only one entrance and she was going to rush the guards. I shall have to be a lot sneakier and someone had better come with me if Theron needs to be carried and that will leave me free to deal with any trouble." Gabrielle suddenly laughed to herself at her sudden change of role." I am going to need a sidekick. Its purely voluntary of course but someone strong. Any suggestions?" she said looking hopefully at the group. Kara and Leia looked at each other and Leia said.'' You can't mean to do this on your own." They both said together looking quite shocked and Gabrielle nodded." Look, do you want to carry on with this? You do realize what that means?" Gabrielle's voice waivered and she went quite pale as she went on and Leia nodded to herself. She'd asked for this, now she had to accecpt what came she told herself." Two of us means less people to get hurt and you will have to be ready for when we come out. They think they have us beaten because they think they got rid of Xena and will not be expecting anyone else and they'll be hot on our heals." Gabrielle said.

" I will come with you." Caro said and Kara gave a sudden cry as she saw him behind her suddenly and young man enveloped his mother in his arms." No Mother I want to do this, Micha took away my love and I never got a chance to tell her, I probably never will now. I can carry him." he said to Gabrielle." And I want to get my own back for what that little shit has been doing." he growled and Caro and his mother hugged for a moment. Leia paled at the sudden thorght of that happening to her and she felt a sudden chill. The thorght of losing Deimos scared her more than she had realised and seeing it in Gabrielle and in the gentle son of the healer, it made her feel a bit queasy. Caro sat down beside Gabrielle and began to study the map. She hadnt taken much notice before as her task had been to take care of the shaman but now she watched carefully as he pointed out the features of the temple, the small alcoves for makeing offerings, the inner sanctum and the private rooms for the shaman and accolites and the stairs for the underground celler for storage and Gabrielle remembered Xena saying Theron was probably held there." Where do the guards stay?" she asked next." Their housed next door." Deimos said joining them. Good thorght Gabrielle, they won't all be in the temple.

Gabrielle began to pace as she talked." Why do people go to temples? for varying reasons, mostly to ask the gods for help, for success in a buisness contract or a marriage agreement, protection in times of war or a safe delivery of a baby." and Gabrielle began to see a germ of an idea and she looked to the healer." We shall have to change our appearance, we shall need hair dye and different clothes amd I shall want a staff if you got one." she said sounding a bit firmer and Kara shrugged." Yes I have some and I'm sure Caro will have a lenth of wood long enough for you." " Right if you can sort that, Caro and I will run through the plan." Gabrielle said.


End file.
